Comments on: The downside of high deductible health planshttp://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/the-downside-of-high-deductible-health-plans/
The health services research blogMon, 15 Aug 2016 12:22:27 +0000hourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1By: Darlenehttp://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/the-downside-of-high-deductible-health-plans/comment-page-1/#comment-82002
Sun, 29 Sep 2013 23:51:58 +0000http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=32492#comment-82002My High Deductible only pays 80% after the family has paid out the $6000.00 deductible and that also is separate from the amount taken out of my pay per week of $150.00. So since I need money to pay mortgage, food, gas, electric, phone, toilet paper, laundry soap, school taxes, town taxes, I opted for the High deductible so there is more in pay check to LIVE! As a result we will not go to doctors as should when sick. NO MONEY! Then this Obama-care they tell us we qualify for Medicaid. Maybe that is the way to go….those on social services are richer than I am.
]]>By: Johnhttp://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/the-downside-of-high-deductible-health-plans/comment-page-1/#comment-34920
Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:13:18 +0000http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=32492#comment-34920Thanks for the commercial Aetna representative
]]>By: paulchttp://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/the-downside-of-high-deductible-health-plans/comment-page-1/#comment-32035
Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:38:36 +0000http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=32492#comment-32035In my company’s case, we are switching from traditional to High deductible plan and the premiums are going UP by $1200/year. This is a co. with 80,000 employees and we are essentially being given a $10,000 pay cut once the premiums HIKES and max out of pocket are considered. If you like your health plan, you can keep it.–B Obama, liar-in-chief.
]]>By: Mikehttp://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/the-downside-of-high-deductible-health-plans/comment-page-1/#comment-30544
Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:34:28 +0000http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=32492#comment-30544Guess what the new world order is with these High Deductible plans.? After you have paid the out-of-pocket maximum the plan will cover 85% and you will be responsible for 15% while at the same time paying your premium. Those days where the insurance company covered 100% of charges after the deductible is reached are long gone. These plans know no bounds and unless something is done soon to suppress this nonsense, you will be responsible for the majority(potentially 99%) of your costs.

(ed. note: Ad hominem removed. Future comments not sticking purely to the issues will not be approved.)

]]>By: Michelehttp://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/the-downside-of-high-deductible-health-plans/comment-page-1/#comment-30195
Wed, 19 Sep 2012 19:43:44 +0000http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=32492#comment-30195The difference between my current bluecross/blueshield and the new HRA my company is offering is $27 bi weekly. That’s about $702 a year. If my deductible is $2,000.00 I’m not seeing how this will benefit me. We are ready to enroll for next year. I see this as helping my employer only.
]]>By: JayBhttp://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/the-downside-of-high-deductible-health-plans/comment-page-1/#comment-23301
Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:00:33 +0000http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=32492#comment-23301“HARTFORD, Conn., January 10, 2012 — Employers that replaced their traditional health benefits plans with Aetna HealthFund® consumer-directed plans saved $21.8 million over a five-year period for every 10,000 members, based on a recent study of Aetna (NYSE: AET) health care claims and utilization. While members with Aetna HealthFund plans spent seven percent less on overall health care costs, the study also showed that these members received more preventive care from their primary care physicians and preventive screenings than members with traditional Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans.

• Aetna HealthFund members received screenings for cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer, as well as mammograms and immunizations, at a higher rate compared to members in PPO plans.
• Members with Aetna HealthFund plans who have diabetes received the appropriate screenings for their blood sugar (Glycated Hemoglobin A1C test) and cholesterol (lipid screening) more frequently than diabetic members in PPO plans.
• Aetna HealthFund members with chronic conditions such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and high cholesterol use the prescription drugs necessary to treat their conditions at similar rates as PPO members.
• Aetna HealthFund members use generic drugs at a higher rate than members in PPO plans, allowing members to reduce their prescription drug costs and generating approximately four percent pharmacy cost savings for employers. ”

]]>By: Brian Lanierhttp://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/the-downside-of-high-deductible-health-plans/comment-page-1/#comment-23266
Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:08:19 +0000http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=32492#comment-23266I would like to suggest that they are lower because the vast majority of people are not in the hospital at any one time, nor are they likely to require hospitalization at a given time. In general, health insurance is expensive because people have become convinced that someone else should pay for everything (minus a $10 copay) when in reality the high costs of “comprehensive” plans are passed on to those same people through higher deductibles, or wages that have been stagnant for three decades. This has been compounded by the fact that this system had degraded the ability of primary care physicians to properly manage chronic disease, to deal with complex problems (hence increased sub-specialty referrals) or to inspire behavior that avoids it in the first place.
]]>By: JayBhttp://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/the-downside-of-high-deductible-health-plans/comment-page-1/#comment-23265
Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:50:03 +0000http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=32492#comment-23265Greg Scandlen has posted a critique of this paper that you may be interested in:

]]>By: Floccinahttp://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/the-downside-of-high-deductible-health-plans/comment-page-1/#comment-23248
Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:05:44 +0000http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=32492#comment-23248>I believe the vast majority of healthcare spending is major items in which the patient has no real choice.<

If that is so, then why are premiums for high deductible plans so much lower?

]]>By: Floccinahttp://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/the-downside-of-high-deductible-health-plans/comment-page-1/#comment-23247
Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:58:05 +0000http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=32492#comment-23247Sharon Williams,
Though $5000 seems like a lot you could make that up in a reasonable amount of time with the difference in cost of a low deductible and high deductible plan.
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